converse with fluency in English, Italian, French, and Dutch; and could repeat by memory Horace, Virgil, Cicero, the two Plinys, Juvenal, Homer, and Aristophanes. Yet was he so indolent that he never followed any regular trade or profession, but sometimes picked up a few pence by sweeping chimneys, grinding knives, dancing at a fair, or showing his power of language at a pothouse. It is needless to add that this extraordinary genius died in the most abject poverty at Middleburgh, and was literally found dead in a common ditch.

John Jefferies was left a fortune equal to 50,0007, by his father, a London merchant: when he first began business for himself, the novelty of the enterprise held in check his natural propensity to indolence; but, after a time, the novelty wore off, his habits of business relaxed, his correspondents grew irritated, his credit was undermined, and he became bankrupt. His family are now reduced to beggary, and he is spending his old age in a common almshouse, a mournful monument of the ruinous effects of indolence and procrastination.

QUOTATIONS.-The way of the slothful man is a hedge of thorns. Prov. xv. 19.

He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption.-Gal. vi. 8.

Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.Gal. vi. 7.

He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly.— 2 Cor. ix. 6.

They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.-Hos. viii. 7.

He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity.-Prov. xxii. 8. They that plough iniquity and sow wickedness, reap the same. Job iv. 8.

They must hunger in frost, who will not work in heat. They who play in the summer, must pipe in the winter. Reckless youth makes rueful age.

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand; but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.-Prov. x. 4.

He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.— Prov. x. 5.

The slothful shall be under tribute.-Prov. xii. 24.

An idle soul shall suffer hunger.—Prov. xix. 15. Drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.-Prov. xxiii. 21. By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness the house droppeth through.-Eccles. x. 18. Qui bon l'achète bon le boit.

Ignavo homine terra pejus nil creat.

Nimis homo nihil est, qui piger est.—Plautus.
Qui fugit molam fugit farinam.

Ut sementem feceris, ita et metes.-Cicero.

CONCLUSION.

THEME XXXIII. A soft Answer turneth away Wrath.

INTRODUCTION.—When the anger of another is kindled against us, Solomon directs us to observe two things, if we wish to avert or to appease it: first, let an answer be given; and, secondly, let that answer be a conciliatory one. 1ST REASON.-LET AN ANSWER BE MADE.

By stubborn silence, a man either tacitly allows that he has given just cause of offence, and can offer no extenuating explanation or else,

That the reprover is so blinded by prejudice, and carried away by his temper, that he will not hearken to the voice of truth: or else,

That he is too contemptible to be worthy of an answer.

2ND REASON.-Deferring to answer till some future time, either looks like the artifice of a dishonest man, who requires time to concoct a plausible but fictitious defence: or else,

The insult of a contemptuous one, who would appeal "from Philip drunk to Philip sober."

3RD REASON.-If no answer or explanation be given, but merely a concession made, the mind of an angry man is still further provoked by mortified pride: nothing more irritates the temper than for an opponent to say, "Have it all your own way," or "I shall not dispute the point with you."

4TH REASON. LET THE ANSWER BE CONCILIATORY, otherwise it serves only to irritate still further, and to add fuel to the kindled flame.

5TH REASON. The cause of anger is the sense of injury or contempt, and the way to remove it is to remove the cause. By mild conciliating words you show that no offence was intended; and if any injury has been committed, it was not from malice or design.

6TH REASON.-Mind acts reflectively on mind, so that kindness begets kindness, and anger provokes anger. If an angry spirit is met by kind and courteous behaviour, the contagion of good nature acts like oil upon troubled waters.

7TH REASON.-Anger, like love and every other passion, must have food to live on, or it will starve and die But wrath can find no pasture in benevolence, amiability, and forbearance; and therefore goes out by a natural decay when surrounded by such elements.

8TH REASON.-Nothing can thrive in an heterogeneous soil: Thus love and affection would soon dwindle, in the midst of hatred, rancour, and contempt; and resentment would soon be exhausted, if kindness soothed the irritated spirit, and benevolence "provoked to love" rather than to wrath.

SIMILES.

As water thrown upon a burning house tends to allay the fury of the flames; so a soft answer tends to allay an irritated temper.

As oil on a rough sea will make the surface smooth and calm; so the oil of kindness will pacify the tempest of an angry mind.

As the warm sun will thaw snow and hard ice; so a kind word will melt down the frozen sympathies of resentment and wrath.

As the morning sun dispels mist and darkness; so a cheerful countenance dispels the troubles of a vexed and irritated mind.

Even an unruly horse may be made tractable by patting his neck and speaking to it softly; how much rather may an unruly mind be pacified by conciliating words and actions!

A ruffled cloth may be made smooth by stroking it gently with the hand; and a ruffled temper may be appeased by similar gentleness and suitable deportment.

A balmy breeze drives away the clouds, and makes both earth and skies "to laugh with joy;" but a stormy wind heaps cloud on cloud, and provokes the tempest to burst forth.

He who gives a soft answer to an angry man, is like the sandal tree, which gives balm to him who smites it. As wine and oil to an angry wound, so are good words to an irritated temper.

HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS.—When Jacob cheated his brother Esau of his birthright, Esau resolved to kill him, but Jacob fled and sojourned with Laban in Haran. After a time he left the house of his father-in-law, and being obliged to pass through Seir, where Esau dwelt, sent a handsome present and a penitent message to him, with the hope of appeasing his anger: Esau's wrath was appeased, and instead of slaying Jacob, he " ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept."-Gen. xxxii. 3. and xxxiii. 4.

When David was in the wilderness of Paran, the surly Nabal greatly provoked him by his discourteous words

and conduct; so that David armed 400 men with the intention of falling upon Nabal and all his household; but Abigail (Nabal's wife) hastened to meet David, and fell at his feet, and said, Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard the words of Nabal, but forgive his trespass, and the trespass of thine handmaid:" she then told him, a man had risen to pursue him and to seek his soul, but that the Lord had bound it in the bundle of life;" and concluded by saying, "When the Lord hath dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid." This conciliating conduct of Abigail entirely diverted the wrath of David, and he said to her, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: and blessed be thou, which has kept me this day from coming to shed blood: for in very deed, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by morning light a living soul."-1 Sam. xxv. 4-35.

When Saul was pursuing David to destroy him, he pitched his tent in the wilderness of Ziph; and while he was asleep, David entered the royal tent, and took a spear and cruse of water from the king's bolster. Next morning David rebuked the sentinels of Saul for want of vigilance, and said to the king, "Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant; for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains." Saul was so overcome by the magnanimity, forbearance, and modesty of David, that his wrath was instantly averted; and, instead of slaying, he blessed him.-1 Sam. xxvi.

When Saul pursued David to the wilderness of Engedi, David secretly entered into the cave where Saul slept, and cut off the skirt of his garment. When the king awoke, he said to him, “Behold this day the Lord hath delivered thee into mine hand in the cave; see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed not thee, know thou that there is neither transgression in mine hand, nor have I sinned against thee." Saul was melted at these words, his anger was mollified, and he "lifted up his voice and wept," saying to